Shadows of the Forest
by HartnellTroughton
Summary: The Doctor and his companions travel to a planet where it is impossible to defeat.
1. Part 1

**This story will feature two New Who monsters but one will is a cameo appearance.**

**I don't own Doctor Who**

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><p><strong>Part 1<strong>

In a planet that is inhabited with only trees and animal life, a team of six archaeologists are sent to the planet to excavate fossils that are reported to have many rare creatures beneath the layers of the planet. In their homeworld, the word archaeologists doesn't exist in their dictionary. Instead, they are called "grave diggers" because they would take the bones of once living beings out of the grounds where they are buried in. When the archaeologists arrive in the planet and started digging, they found around a hundred bones of up to 28 species.

"Hey Bucket, how's your area over there?" an archaeologists shouted to his teammate.

"Same as always." Bucket said, "I always found some new species, Chris."

"Hey consider yourself lucky. That's why you're the leader of this excavation."

"How are the others?"

"Two are sleeping in while the rest of us are still digging."

"You know, strange this planet this is. Out of all the planets that we excavate, this one is probably the most we've ever gotten."

"Try not to think about it chief. We only have one more day left in this planet and by the time we go home, we'll be receiving a bigger paycheck."

"Hey it's almost dark. We should probably sleep in and let the two sleeping beauties do the work."

"In a minute, Bucket. I'll join you when I'm done trying to find another new species in the ground."

"Okay I'll grab the others and we should have supper now." When Bucket walked past Chris in a few miles, he notice Chris disappears. "Chris? Are you playing a trick on me again? Chris? Chris?"

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><p>Miles away from the planet where the archaeologists are, the TARDIS materialized in a planet where it mostly snow and mountaintops. "Now where are we Doctor?" Jamie said as he, the Doctor and Zoe exit the TARDIS. "You promised that you'll take us to a sunny vacation getaway. All I see is a snowy mountain of nothing."<p>

"Don't worry Jamie, I'm sure we'll find something interesting here. Why we could go skiing and play some snowball fight." the Doctor said.

"But why are we here?"

"Not quiet sure. I received a distress call from someone here."

"Brrr! Can I go back into the TARDIS? I am freezing all the way down my feet." Zoe said.

"Oh alright we'll just leave this planet now. I'm sure that call was just a prank anyway."

"Wait, Doctor! Zoe!" Jamie stopped the both of them.

The Doctor and Zoe turned around to see an alien with a large head, eyes slightly larger than human eyes, tentacles in it's mouth, blue clothing, black gloves and holding a small ball. "Greetings. We've been expecting you." the alien said while speaking through the ball.

"Doctor, what is that bogey?" Zoe asked.

"Now now Zoe, be nice. This thing isn't a bogey. This thing is an Ood!" the Doctor exclaimed, "Wonderful peaceful creatures who can communicate telepathically. But sadly, they are forced to be in slavery for other people in the universe."

"Thank you for those kind words. But we're already free about a century ago thanks to you Doctor." the Ood said.

"Hang on, how do you know about me?"

"We've met about a hundred years ago Doctor, but it is your future self that the Oods have met. You and your companion helped freed the Oods and made this place our home."

"Well, thank you. This my friends Jamie and Zoe. Say hi to the nice Ood you two." Jaime and Zoe timidly waved to the Ood.

"It is very nice to meet the both of you. Especially young Zoe Heriot. Her descendants is one the leaders of the Ood emancipation movement."

"Oh wow. Thank you for that." Zoe said.

"Sorry that I didn't introduce myself. I am Ood Sigma, and this the Ood Sphere. I understand why the Ood elders brought you all here."

"Yeah that's what I've been thinking about when we first came here!" Jamie lashed out.

"Hush now Jamie." the Doctor said, "Continue on Ood Sigma."

"We acquire the milk with the most powerful taste that would improve the brain even more. For you see, the Ood brain is dying and our milk in the Ood Sphere isn't strong enough to heal the brain. Our elders found the perfect milk, but it's on a planet where it is dangerous for Ood kind to be breath due to the high population."

"Yes, but why did you pick me? Shouldn't you pick another one of my future selves that would be perfect for the job." the Doctor said.

"You're TARDIS is the nearest one that the Ood elders can pick. Now come closer to me Doctor so I can telepathically send you the coordinates for the planet to find milk." The Doctor came closer to Ood Sigma and put his hand on the Ood's head to get a message. The Doctor got the coordinates for about a few seconds and knows where the milk is. "All you have to do is find the milk from a bee hive. The bees from that planet are like Earth's bees, but instead of honey, they make milk."

"Thank you Ood Sigma. We'll surely get the milk in no time." The Doctor thanked him before he, Jamie, and Zoe go back to the TARDIS. The Doctor put on the coordinates Ood Sigma gave him and the TARDIS dematerialized out of the Ood Sphere.

"Surely we aren't going to find milk for the Oods, aren't we Doctor?" Jamie asked, "What if this was a trap meant to destroy us?"

"I had to Jamie. I repayed the Oods for their freedom. Or will repay them. But I have no choice Jamie, we're going."

"Do you believe what the Doctor is saying, Zoe?" Jamie scoffed.

"I don't Jamie, but if the Doctor is right about the Oods, then I believe what the Doctor is saying."

The TARDIS materialized in the planet and it is filled with nothing but trees in the night time. "Well at least it isn't snowing this time." Jamie said.

"See what did I tell you?" the Doctor said, "Now it will just be a minute or two to find the milk and we'll be one our way." Suddenly a group of five people came from the bushes and raised their rifles at the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor quickly raised his hands as the five people arrived.

"You! Did you do anything to the disappearance to one of our teammates?" one of the group said to them.

"What?! No! We just arrive and we don't even know you people!" the Doctor timidly said.

"Forget about them Leslie, I got the scanner that showed us that Chris is nearby." another one of the group said. The group ran past the Doctor and the Doctor decided to follow them.

"What?! I thought we're suppose to get the milk Doctor, not help those people?" Jamie said.

"I'm sure there nice people. Now come on and follow them." The Doctor said before he ran to follow them. Jamie and Zoe groaned and decided to follow the Doctor.

The one with the scanner lead them to a cave and all of wondered why it lead them to a cave. "Are you sure that Chris is in this cave?" Leslie said.

"The scanner doesn't lie. Our equipment always have tracking device so we'll know where to find each other and Chris never put his equipment down even if it's break time." one of the group said.

"We don't just stand there. Let's just get in there and find Chris." the other group member said. The eight of them enter the cave and what they found were nothing but rocks.

"This place is giving me the creeps Doctor." Zoe said.

"Don't think about Zoe. Just don't think of something like the Cybermen coming in the cave." the Doctor said.

The group stopped when the scanner is beeping rapidly. "Chris must be right there, behind that rock." Leslie said. The eight ran to that rock and found a clothed man with a hat sitting there. "Chris are you okay? It's me Leslie. I know that you're the prankful one Chris, but you need to stop this now." Leslie approached to the man to get him to notice her. "Chris?" she said as she is close to him. Leslie turned the man around and the man was revealed to be nothing but skulls.


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who**

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><p><strong>Part 2<strong>

"Chris?" she said as she is close to him. Leslie turned the man around and the man was revealed to be nothing but skulls. Leslie screams and the Doctor went to her side to comfort her.

"There there now. What seems to be the problem." The Doctor turned to see the skull and was shock to see the skull. "OH MY WORD!" the Doctor exclaimed. The others saw the skull, but they weren't shock as the Doctor and Leslie.

"Oh come on. It's just a skull! It's probably a Chris' prank to scare us." one of the group said.

"Oh no no no. This isn't just some prop you'll find in a Halloween store. And this skull very interesting. Try to feel it." The Doctor told them and one of them felt the skulls sitting around. "So how does it feel?"

"It feels like the human flesh was taken out recently. Like a few minutes ago."

"That's correct, now the question is how?" the Doctor said. Suddenly, they hear a static voice echoing the cave.

"Hello, is someone in there?" the static voice said.

"Who said that?!" one of the group shouted.

"Bucket, is that you?" the voice said again. Bucket know who that voice belongs but doesn't believe it.

"Chris is that you?"

"Yeah it's me Bucket."

"Where are you? I don't see you."

"I... I... I don't know where I am. All I know is that it is dark in here." The group then heard a gasp and it came from Zoe.

"Doctor look!" Zoe said. Zoe showed a recorder that was in front of the skeleton. "What is that Doctor?"

"It's Dave's recorder. Who always keep this to keep track on his job." Leslie said.

"But what's so important about it?" Bucket asked.

"It's still playing." Zoe replied.

"She's right. The recorder is playing and keeps replaying even if we didn't touch the buttons. Somehow he left a message for us."

"I don't think so my dear. It seems that your friend is communicating with us with this. It's like he

speaking to us as if he was here." the Doctor said.

"Hello? Bucket are still there?" Chris' voice said.

"Yes Chris we're still here." Bucket replied, "Tell us what happened after I talked to you earlier Chris?"

"I... I don't know. One moment I was found something unusual and the next thing I know, everything went dark."

"I am afraid to say this to you all but your friend is dead." the Doctor said. All of Chris' group gasped and shock in horror of what the Doctor said.

"But that's not true." one of Chris' group told the Doctor, "How could he still be talking to us if he was dead."

"That's because he is a data ghost. The only thing that's keeping your friend talking is his little recorder over there. As soon as that roll of tape stops. He's gone forever."

"Is... is it true. Am I dead?" Chris' voice asked.

"I am afraid yes. But spend your last word wisely than asking questions about where you are."

"O...Okay. Before I go, please remember me give me some money. Give me some money. Give me some money." the recorder stopped.

"What just happened?" Bucket asked.

"Well, I think I know who caused all this but I wish I was wrong." the Doctor said.

"Tell us then." Leslie said.

"Uh.. I should warn you that if I say who this creature is, you will never unhear."

"Tell us now, or we'll let those creatures get you next!" Bucket threatened.

"Oh alright then. But I already warned you all. The creature that turned Chris into a skeleton is caused by a creature known as the _Vashta Nerada_."

"What are the Vashta Nerada?" Jamie asked.

"Well it's kind of hard to explain Jamie. The Vashta Nerada are creatures that will melt the flesh of any living species. You can't see them physically because they are only shadows. The only way to see a Vashta Nerada is if you have two shadows. There's no way to defeat a Vashta Nerada. The only thing you can do is run."

"But why did they pick this planet Doctor?" Jamie said.

"They pick this one because the Vashta Nerada can only exist is if a planet has trees. Earth has the Vashta Nerada, but they are really rare."

"Who are you and how do you know about this information?" Bucket asked.

"Well I'm usually called the Doctor and I'm a time traveler."

"I don't know what you mean."

"It's really simple to understand what I am."

"No I mean why do call yourself that? You don't look like one." The Doctor is growing suspicious of what Bucket is saying.

"What planet are you from?"

"Me and my team are from the Gamma Forest. In my planet we don't have the word 'doctor' in our dictionaries. Instead, we call them 'mighty warrior'."

"And what are you suppose to be?" the Doctor asked.

"Well people usually called Bucket, but my full name is Bryan Bucket. We are are a team of grave diggers."

"You don't look like grave diggers. From the look of your get up and equipment, which I would like a hat like that, you look more like archaeologists."

"We don't have the word archaeologist in the Gamma Forest either. We're called grave robbers because we steal stuff from graves, including bones. Now tell me what's the one way you're to defeat these 'Vashta Nerada'."

"I…I already told you there's no other way to stop them!" the Doctor said as he is backing up from Bryan Bucket.

"You've seem to know about those creatures. Surely you have battle them before, Mighty Warrior. Now tell me how you defeat them!"

"I keep telling you I don't know how!" the Doctor shouted at him.

"Doctor look at this!" Zoe told him. Bryan and the Doctor turned to where Zoe is pointing and a walking skeleton in a armor emerged from the shadows with a sword in it's armor.


	3. Part 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who**

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><p><strong>Part 3<strong>

"Now tell me how you defeat them!" Bryan Bucket threatened the Doctor

"I keep telling you I don't know how!" the Doctor shouted at him.

"Doctor look at this!" Zoe told him. Bryan and the Doctor turned to where Zoe is pointing and a walking skeleton in a armor emerged from the shadows with a sword in it's armor.

"How is that even possible?!" a distressed Leslie said.

"Uh… it seems that the Vashta Nerada is able to possess something that they already taken meal on as a way to defend themselves." the Doctor said.

"Then the fossils." Bryan said.

"What do you mean the fossils?" the Doctor asked him.

"Before you came, we found around a hundred fossils that belonged to around 25 different species. What if those Vashta Nerada get to them?" Bryan said.

"Fascinating! It seems that the Vashta Nerada are getting really hungry and I think they find humans more edible now."

"Okay, but how are we going to distract Sir Skulls over here?" Leslie asked them.

"EN GARDE!" the Vashta Nerada said, "EN GARDE! EN GARDE! EN GARDE!"

"Why is he repeating the same thing?" Zoe asked.

"Because the Vashta Nerada always repeat the last words of it's victims if they possess someone they already killed."

"I will deal with him." Jamie said.

"No Jamie, you can't! If we leave you here, then the Vashta Nerada will certainly get you."

"I'll stay with him." one of the grave diggers said. "I'm mostly a expert marksmen of the group so both of us can slow him down more."

"Oh okay, Zoe come with me. We need to find the milk." the Doctor said.

"Go on Doctor! I'll fight this thing like if it was a redcoat." Jamie said. With Jamie getting his sword and ready to fight it the Vashta Nerada.

"Okay, when I say run, run." the Doctor told everyone who isn't fighting the Vashta Nerada. "RUN!" the Doctor shouted and everyone ran out of the cave leaving Jamie and a grave digger behind.

"CREAG AN TUIRE!" Jamie shouted as he charged to the Vashta Nerada.

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><p>The Doctor and the others ran to the safest place they could find where the Vashta Nerada couldn't find them. "What is the deal with them?!" Bryan said.<p>

"Like I said before, this planet is full of trees and with only a few species left in this planet, the Vashta Nerada could be really hungry." the Doctor said. "But I never see them so hungry before."

"Then what could be the reason why?" Leslie asked.

"I don't know. It must be something that you two bring or dug up from your excavation?"

"Well the only thing we dug up were bones and a rare vase over here." one of the grave diggers said as he got a vase from his bag.

"Hang on, can I see that?" the Doctor asked him. The grave robber gave him the vase and found something inside the vase. "Interesting. This vase has something valuable known only to the Vashta Nerada."

"What is it?" Leslie asked.

"Astatine!" the Doctor exclaimed

"Isn't that the an element of Earth's periodic table?" Zoe asked.

"Yes Zoe. Not only it's one of the rarest on Earth, but also the rarest in the universe."

"But isn't it radioactive?"

"It is, but it's safe to touch for my people and this vase keeps other beings from getting affected from the radiation."

"But why would the Vashta Nerada want with this?" Leslie asked.

"Because for them one bite of this is like eating ten food."

"Then you better give it me." Bryan said as he pointed the gun to the Doctor.

"What's the meaning of this Bryan?!" Leslie lashed out on him.

"It's the reason why we came here? To find money."

"I didn't sign up for this!"

"Then you could be with this Doctor character will be shot. Now tell me Doctor, why did you come here to this planet in the first place!"

"I... I... I..."

"Doctor I think we found the milk the Ood talked us about!" Zoe shouted from a far.

"Oh thank you Zoe!" the Doctor shouted back. "Hold on for just one moment please." he told Bryan and ran to where Zoe is. "Ah thank you getting out of that messy situation over there." The Doctor took a sap of the milk and find it disgusting.

"Doctor what's the matter with it?"

"Oh nothing big Zoe. It's just that the milk that the milk is too spoiled."

Zoe also too a drink from the milk and she too find it disgusting. "Blegh! You're right! We shouldn't give this to the Ood brain."

"I know. We should keep looking and find the right milk." Before the Doctor and Zoe leave, Bryan appeard and block their way.

"So you came to this planet just for milk?!" Bryan scoffed, "You must be one crazy man."

"Not a crazy as a man who will carry weapons. Now tell me, why would a grave robber carry a weapon for an excavation?"

"Just to protect myself from danger." he said before pointing the gun at the Doctor and Zoe.

"Stop this Bryan! You don't know what you're doing!" Leslie shouted as she protects the two.

"When did you become soft Leslie? We always like this?"

"I wasn't like this! Let's just give the base to them and we'll be on our way."

"I won't unless there's an alternative to get me a paycheck."

"Guys, there seems to be a problem." one of the grave robbers told them.

"What is it now, Chuck?" Bryan asked him. Chuck stepped away from Bryan and what was revealed in the back of him was one of their teammates melted to skull.


	4. Part 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who**

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><p><strong>Part 4<strong>

"Guys, there seems to be a problem." one of the grave robbers told them.

"What is it now, Chuck?" Bryan asked him. Chuck stepped away from Bryan and what was revealed in the back of him was one of their teammates melted to skull.

"There's also you should know." Chuck and the others looked down and saw that he has two shadows.

"Oh my word!" the Doctor shouted and he went a little closer to Chuck. "Now listen to me Chuck, there's no way we could save you now. Just stay calm and don't worry about."

"It's alright. I won't think about when it eats my flesh. Go now. Just get away from me before it gets to you to."

"But Chuck-" Leslie said before she was interrupted.

"Just go now Leslie. I'll be okay once this is over." Bryan grabbed Leslie's arm and ran with the Doctor and Zoe. As the four left, Chuck closed his eyes and wait for the Vashta Nerada to melt his flesh off.

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><p>Back in the cave, Jamie and the grave robber finished fighting the armored possessed Vashta Nerada. "Well that was an easy fight was it, Ollivander?" Jamie said to the grave digger, but no response. "Ollivander?" Jamie called out again.<p>

When he looked around, he found skulls with Ollivander's clothes in them. Somehow, a Vashta Nerada got to him when Jamie was still fighting the other one. Just then the armored Vashta Nerada reassembled and Ollivander's skull became possessed by the Vashta Nerada. Ollivander's skull then picked up an helmet the same as the armored one.

"What was that? What was that? What was that? What was that?" Ollivander's Vashta Nerada said, which was his final words before the Vashta Nerada got him.

"EN GARDE! EN GARDE! EN GARDE! EN GARDE! EN GARDE!" the knight said as they are walking slower to Jamie.

"So you think you can kill an McCrimmon, eh? No red coathas even wounded me in the high lands. And you won't me either." Jamie then charged to the Vashta Neradas but one of them got his sword. After a few attacks, Jamie decided to ran out of the cave.

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><p>The Doctor and the others ran back to the camp with the Doctor still holding the vase containing the Astatine. "Okay here's the plan. We'll find the leader of the hoarde and give them the vase."<p>

"I'm still not allowing you to do that." Bryan said.

"Then let the Vashta Nerada get us, Bryan!" Leslie said.

"It's the risk I'm willing to take!"

"Then what will happen if those things get back to the Gamma Forest? What if they get together and eat us then?"

"It won't happen unless the Doctor give us the information on how to defeat them." Bryan said as he pointed his gun again to the Doctor.

"Is this what you'll do all night? Pointing the gun at me so I can tell you what you need? Why don't you just shoot me then?" the Doctor remarked.

"I want to, but you know more about these creatures. So how do defeat these creatures?"

"Okay! The only way to defeat the Vashta Nerada is light as bright as a sun!" the Doctor shouted.

"Then why didn't you tell that moments ago?!"

"Why would I?! It will take a few more hours til the next sunrise and a flashlight wouldn't work!"

"I'm willing to wait a few more hours for the sunrise. And since you tell me, you're use is now over." Before Bryan could shoot the Doctor, Jamie arrived and all turned they're attention to him.

"Oh Jamie! Thank goodness you're here! How are the Vashta Nerada?"

"Why don't you ask them?" Jamie said. Jamie pointed at the knight and the possessed skeleton of Ollivander coming at them.

"Ah good, they're here. Can any of you step forward if you're the leader of the pack?" the skeleton of Ollivander stepped up, making him the leader. "Good. Now we have what you need but I'll give it as long as you spare us and let us leave. Uh Leslie, why don't grab the vase and the gun from Bryan so we'll give them the vase and doesn't shoot us."

"What?!' I'm not letting you get my prize!" Bryan said. Leslie grabbed the vase and gun from Bryan and gave the vase to Doctor.

"Thank Leslie. Now I'm giving you the vase and you'll promise me that you'll spare us." The Doctor stepped up to them and gave them the vase. The Vashta Nerada opened the vase and looked delighted to see the Astatine still inside.

"You'll have two hours to leave." the Vashta Nerada told the Doctor and left them.

"Phew! Glad that's why over." Leslie said.

"Thank you for helping us Leslie. So what will you do to Bryan?"

"I will take him back to Gamma Forest and hand him to the authorities for endangering lives. I sure hope his granddaughter, Lorna, doesn't turn out like him though."

"Well we sure better be going now. Goodbye Leslie."

"But Doctor, what about the milk we're suppose to get?" Zoe asked.

"Oh I totally forgot about them! Thank you Zoe for reminding me." The Doctor ran out of the camp and found the right milk near the campsite. "Now all we need to do is deliver it back to the Ood Sphere and we'll be on our way." The three of them ran back to the TARDIS and dematerialized once the three went back inside.

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><p>The TARDIS materialized in the Ood Sphere and Ood Sigma is standing the same spot where they talk. "There you are Ood Sigma. Milk for the Ood Brain." the Doctor said.<p>

"Thank you Doctor. You were the fastest one to come back to the Ood Sphere unlike your predecessor." Ood Sigma said.

"Well we took a lot of time getting the milk because of the whole Vashta Nerada situation." Jamie said.

"I understand. Here in the Ood Sphere, the Vashta Nerada aren't much of a problem here. The Oods can live without trees which makes the Vashta Nerada find this place unsuitable."

"Well better going now. Thank you for understanding our situation." Zoe said.

"Could you at least stay? There's room in the song for you three?"

"Erm, no thanks but thank you for the offer anyway." Jamie said.

"I understand. Thank you Doctor Jamie Zoe, friends of Oodkind."

"Thank you." the Doctor said and walked back to the TARDIS with Jamie and Zoe.

"Boy that some adventure, Doctor?" Zoe said.

"It sure was. I hope that I won't be seeing the Vashta Nerada for a long time."

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><p><strong>That's the end of the story, review on how it went.<strong>


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